Re: Horrible Sephora experience... :( just had to share...

I've seen this happen before at Burger King! A man went up to the register and said the burger wasn't the one he ordered but he ate it all anyway. The guy at the register asked if he liked it and the man goes, "no." So they gave him a new one! I was baffled.

Reply to enableme

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Re: Horrible Sephora experience... :( just had to share...

While I see your point and I understand the importance of good customer service, as a human being, you should understand everyone has bad days as well. If you make their job more difficult on top of that, you should be understanding that they may not necessarily bend over backwards or bow at your feet just because you're buying from the store they're working at. You can't expect people to always keep a happy face, no matter how crappy they are being treated just because it's part of the job description; they aren't robots.

Reply to enableme

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Re: Horrible Sephora experience... :( just had to share...

It sounds like the customer service interaction/communication was less than ideal (although you may be presenting the situation in a skewed manner based on your perception of the situation). But even if the customer service was not ideal, it doesn't change what you did, which was return $200 worth of products! That seems like a lot to me, especially if you consider that if everyone did that, Sephora would likely not be able to have the awesome return policy that they have. It's one thing to return products that have never been used or opened, but it's an entirely different scenario to return hundreds of dollars of products that have been used (even if it's slightly used or just opened). I have to hope that Sephora discards all items that have even the slightest indication of being used, so that means that all the items you returned that are even slightly used, will get thrown away. Like I said before, if everyone did that and treated Sephora like a library, it would no longer be financially feasible for them to have the return policy that they have now. In my mind, to walk into Sephora with a ziplock full of used items with the purpose of returning them for store credit in order to "purchase more desired items" is incredibly wasteful and selfish.

Now, do I return things and take advantage of Sephora's awesome return policy? You bet I do, but I'm extremely discerning with the items I buy and return. If at all possible, I get a sample of the product first to try it out before buying it. Or I read reviews, check ingredients, look at shades, etc. to find out if it's a product I'm likely to keep. Yes all those things take time to do, but I feel like it's better than buying things at the drop of a hat just because you can return it later. Sometimes I do end up with a product I thought would work out, but ends up not working out, so in that case I do take advantage of the return policy.

I apologize if I've repeated what others have said, which I'm sure I have. But I think it's helpful to hear things repeatedly from different people so that you can see it's more than just a few people ganging up on you. We're not trying to gang up on you or make you feel bad (although everyone is entitled to their own feelings). We're just trying to make you aware of what you're doing. So, OP, I would suggest that in the future you be more discerning with things you buy, because the choices you make don't just impact you- they impact all of us.

Reply to feline5190

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Re: Horrible Sephora experience... :( just had to share...

Even when I make a purchase, I try not to open/use it unless I am confident I will want to keep it! As a result, I actually make some returns to my local store for items that are brand new and unopened (with the seal intact if there is one). The employee that was processing my return one time was super excited to see some of the fabulous finds I had gotten from the online sale section. She told me she was going to purchase the brand new MUFE Wild & Chic palette I was returning

Reply to ilovebears

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Re: Horrible Sephora experience... :( just had to share...

I also want to add that in my 'old age' (I'm 29), I've become more discerning about buying things and spending money in general. Looking back to when I was a teenager, I definitely wasn't as appreciative about how much things cost, the cost of luxury items/extracurricular activities, etc. It's a life lesson that comes with maturity and life experiences. I've definitely become more aware of the value of a dollar (ok, now I feel REALLY old ) and I think that awareness allows me to take a step back and assess my purchases.

Re: Horrible Sephora experience... :( just had to share...

So many opinions. I would like to reply to some, but my computer is against me in that one

I don't think anyone is bashing the returning something. I think you should shop happy and return just as happy. My sister works in retail, and the tales of returns are terrible and shameful, at the point I couldn't believe someone would do some of those things.

The sad part it's that my sister is required a daily sales quota, and every time someone returns something to her she is penalized just for taking the return, even if she wasn't the sales girl.

I can tell for Sephora, as I think the losses are on the manufacturer, and then on us consumers, as the manufacturer raises prices to cut losses.

But the fact is we as consumers should use good judgment while returning, and keep in mind we're not affecting Sephora, the big guy, but many little people that work for Sephora and the brands.

As always, using is good, abusing is not.

Reply to Gizeh

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Re: Horrible Sephora experience... :( just had to share...

I also want to add, for those who return a lot like me and for those who are mulling saying the return policy sucks (depending on stores, except I will still refuse to shop at Wet Seal and Forever 21 for their return policies)

This is America. We're more liberal on the returns and consumer friendly. In Taiwan, they get really mad and lecture you according to my mom and no one really returns in Australia according to my cousins.

Reply to tehprincessjenn

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Re: Horrible Sephora experience... :( just had to share...

Yep, in Australia most return policies are void once you open the product, or only valid for unopened products for a very short period of time (often as short as a week). Obvious exceptions would be if there's actually a fault with the item, etc. I've returned things incredibly rarely, and never in the cosmetics/skincare arena. Once it was a top I bought for an event I didn't go to, so I returned it under the 'change of mind with tags attached' clause, and from memory I once returned something with obvious flaws such as buttons coming off the first time I used it or something. Since I've been in Canada I've been very grateful for the great return policies, so I'm more willing to try things out with a view to returning them if my skin reacts or something. I don't abuse it, but it's nice to know the safety net is there if something goes wrong.

Reply to daeidre

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Re: Horrible Sephora experience... :( just had to share...

I'm from Canada too, and I was a bit shocked when I found out that Sephora has such a, shall we say, generous exchange policy. Most other places won't accept items back like you said, once they're opened (for sanitary reasons more than anything else, as well as the fact that they wouldn't be able to sell them to someone else). I agree with other posters that there should be a middle ground for Sephora's return policy, too.

Reply to HawaiianEyes7

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Re: Horrible Sephora experience... :( just had to share...

Not that this relates directly to the OP's story, but I wish we could reach a happy middle ground, as I tend to think we are too consumer friendly. We let people take advantage of polices and get their way if they cause a fuss. I worked in retail for years and saw so many people abuse our system because it was absolutely unacceptable to corporate if we received ANY negative feedback about customer service, regardless if the customer was being unreasonable. Yet of course, when numbers were bad, we were also blamed.

Unrelated and slightly tangenty, but its crazy how many grown adults with throw tantrums in stores because they don't get to use an expired coupon. It's even more soul-crushing when you see managers give in and give them the discount PLUS some to try and make them happy.

Reply to redwagon44

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Re: Horrible Sephora experience... :( just had to share...

I agree so much I cannot stand it. Bending over backwards no matter how unreasonably entitled a customer gets makes me so frustrated. I've seen customers get just about every ridiculous thing they concoct just to keep them happy. When I rule the world, I will put an end to this. There's no excuse for the way SAs get mistreated...over nothing...over less than a dollar.

Re: Horrible Sephora experience... :( just had to share...

I agree re: the middle ground. As someone who has worked in retail and has seen both the best and worst of customer complaints, I think there's a fine line between a reasonable request for proper customer service and outright bullying of CS reps/abuse of store policies. The U.S. really does have the most accommodating CS practices that I've seen; I think some customers here take that for granted and forget that "good customer service" does not necessarily mean always getting your way, especially if "your way" goes beyond what can be reasonably expected of a store.

Re: Horrible Sephora experience... :( just had to share...

1. "Oh God what happened?" - Unless you had a bag full of broken products with powder everywhere, this shouldn't have been the SA's first comment to you. Whether your returns lead to a 1%, 10%, or 20% loss, customer service is customer service. I get it, especially when returns make the store's bottom line suck for the day, how an SA can get pissy with a customer, but they shouldn't show it. Again. Customer service is customer service.

1a. 'This is half empty' Either she is lying or you are lying, if she is lying, respond with 'No. Actually it's not.'

1b. 'We never carried this' Out comes the smartphone to show that it was and is still carried.

1c. 'Why are you returning this, I love it'. This is not an insult, it's just making conversation.

1d. 'Make an appointment'. Again, this is not an insult, unless it was said in an insulting way (condescending tone, b* face, etc).

2. I'm surprised they let you return so much without receipt. I thought the max was 6 items. Especially if you've done those types of returns in the past.

3. Store credit not being redeemable online does kinda suck. All the more reason to learn to save receipts.

Closing Thoughts:

Returns are expected, to a degree, with makeup products. If it wasn't used, don't feel bad about returning it, it will get resold. If it doesn't work for you, don't feel bad about returning it... at first. If you see that this is a repeat occurrence, stop buying things before trying them out. Clearly the other way isn't working.

I went on a shopping spree 6 months ago and bought soooo much stuff. Some I knew I wouldn't use and returned within a month or two. The rest I convinced myself I would learn to love, but to me I can't in good conscience return it. I think if you're going to return something it should be in that two month period.

Re: Horrible Sephora experience... :( just had to share...

That's the impression I got as well. Plus, some things you buy hoping that you'll be able to use them and then realizing after that you just can't or won't. While samples are great, you can't get a sample of a sponge or brush. Those items are tough to be sure about too since there aren't as many reviews, you can't swatch them, and the only real way to know if you'll like/use it is to try it after buying it.